Combination electric toaster oven and airfryer

Abstract

A combination toaster oven and air fryer is described. The combination toaster oven and air fryer includes a housing, a door, a fan, basket drive element, a basket, a first heating element, a second heating element, and a control panel. The combination toaster oven and air fryer provides toasting, baking, and air frying cooking modes in a single stand-alone countertop unit. The first heating element includes a tubular infrared heater and a tubular quartz heater positioned to avoid crumbs falling from the basket during rotation and optimally cook and crisp food product.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A combination toaster oven and air fryer comprising:
 a housing;   a door, the door coupled to the housing;   a fan, the fan within the housing;   a basket drive element;   a basket including a drive shaft, the basket having a first state and a second state, in the first state the basket is coupled to the basket drive element, in the second state the basket is separate from the basket drive element;   a first heating element including an infrared heater and a quartz heater;   a second heating element, the second heating element within the housing; and   a control panel.   
     
     
         2 . The combination toaster oven and air fryer of  claim 1  wherein the housing further comprises:
 a right-sidewall interior surface having a horizontal right-sidewall rail disposed thereon, the right-sidewall rail having a right notch; 
 a left-sidewall interior surface including a horizontal left-sidewall rail disposed thereon, the left-sidewall rail having a left notch; 
 a rear sidewall interior surface; 
 a top wall interior surface; and 
 a bottom wall interior surface; 
 wherein the right-sidewall interior surface, the left-sidewall interior surface, the rear sidewall interior surface, the top wall interior surface, the bottom wall interior surface, and the door defining a cooking chamber; and 
 wherein the first heating element is located adjacent to the rear sidewall interior surface and the bottom wall interior surface. 
 
     
     
         3 . The combination toaster oven and air fryer of  claim 1  wherein the fan circulates heated air within the cooking chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The combination toaster oven and air fryer of  claim 1  further comprising a basket removal tool configured to couple to the basket. 
     
     
         5 . The combination toaster oven and air fryer of  claim 2  further comprising:
 at least one channel mounted on the left-sidewall; 
 at least one channel mounted on the right-sidewall; and 
 a tray configured to interface with the left-sidewall channel and the right-sidewall channel. 
 
     
     
         7 . The combination toaster oven and air fryer of  claim 1  wherein the control panel further includes:
 an air fryer cooking selection; and 
 a toaster cooking selection. 
 
     
     
         8 . The combination toaster oven and air fryer of  claim 1  wherein the first heating element further includes a crumb shield disposed between the basket and the tubular heaters. 
     
     
         9 . The combination toaster oven and air fryer of  claim 8  wherein the first heating element is located outside a crumb fall zone. 
     
     
         10 . The combination toaster oven and air fryer of  claim 1  wherein the control panel further includes:
 a temperature selector having a plurality of temperature selections; 
 a function selector including the air fryer cooking selection and the toaster cooking selection; and 
 a timer selector. 
 
     
     
         11 . The combination toaster oven and air fryer of  claim 1  wherein the basket includes an exterior surface having a plurality of holes, each of the plurality of holes having a center, each of the plurality of holes further having a 6 millimeter hole diameter centered about the hole center, and the center of each of the plurality of holes separated from the center of any adjacent hole by 8.5 millimeters. 
     
     
         12 . A combination toaster oven and air fryer comprising:
 a housing;   a door, the door coupled to the housing;   a fan, the fan within the housing;   a basket drive element;   a basket including a drive shaft, the basket having a first state and a second state, in the first state the basket is coupled to the basket drive element, in the second state the basket is separate from the basket drive element;   a first heating element including an infrared heater and a quartz heater;   a second heating element, the second heating element within the housing; and   a control panel including an air fryer cooking selection and a toaster cooking selection.   
     
     
         13 . The combination toaster oven and air fryer of  claim 12  wherein the housing comprises:
 a right-sidewall interior surface having at least one horizontal right-sidewall rail disposed thereon and at least one of the at least one right-sidewall rail having a right notch; 
 a left-sidewall interior surface having at least one horizontal left-sidewall rail disposed thereon and at least one of the at least one left-sidewall rail having a left notch; 
 a rear sidewall interior surface; 
 a top wall interior surface; and 
 a bottom wall interior surface; 
 the right-sidewall interior surface, the left-sidewall interior surface, the rear sidewall interior surface, the top wall interior surface, the bottom wall interior surface, and the door defining the cooking chamber; and 
 wherein the first heating element is located adjacent to the rear sidewall interior surface and the bottom wall interior surface. 
 
     
     
         14 . The combination toaster oven and air fryer of  claim 12  wherein the fan circulates heated air within the cooking chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The combination toaster oven and air fryer of  claim 12  further comprising a basket removal tool configured to couple to the basket. 
     
     
         16 . The combination toaster oven and air fryer of  claim 13  further comprising:
 at least one channel mounted on the left-sidewall; 
 at least one channel mounted on the right-sidewall; and 
 a tray configured to interface with the left-sidewall channel and the right-sidewall channel. 
 
     
     
         17 . The combination toaster oven and air fryer of  claim 12  wherein the control panel further includes:
 a temperature selector having a plurality of temperature selections; 
 a function selector including the air fryer cooking selection and the toaster cooking selection; and 
 a timer selector. 
 
     
     
         18 . The combination toaster oven and air fryer of  claim 12  wherein the first heating element further includes a crumb shield disposed between the basket and the tubular heaters. 
     
     
         19 . The combination toaster oven and air fryer of  claim 18  wherein the first heating element is located outside a crumb fall zone. 
     
     
         20 . The combination toaster oven and air fryer of  claim 12  wherein the basket includes an exterior surface having a plurality of holes, each of the plurality of holes having a center, each of the plurality of holes further having a 6 millimeter hole diameter centered about the hole center, and the center of each of the plurality of holes separated from the center of any adjacent hole by 8.5 millimeters.